The present invention relates generally to fasteners and, more particularly, to a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle.
It is known to provide a roof marker lamp for a vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle or a pick-up truck. Typically, the roof marker lamp is attached to an outer surface of a roof of the vehicle. The roof marker lamp is typically attached to the roof by a plurality of individual screws extending through the roof marker lamp and engaging separate individual nuts, which are disposed in recesses in the roof. However, the separate screws and nuts are loose and do not typically allow the roof lamp marker to be installed or attached to the roof in a required time. In addition, the screws cannot be adequately aligned with the roof lamp marker before conducting a torque procedure.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a new fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a fastener assembly that is pre-assembled to a roof marker lamp that snaps-in for installation to the roof of the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that aligns the fasteners with the roof marker lamp prior to torquing when installed on the roof of the vehicle. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp on a vehicle.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that is pre-assembled to the roof marker lamp.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that has an integrated extension to align a fastener with the roof marker lamp.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a fastener assembly for securing a roof marker lamp to a vehicle. The fastener assembly includes a plurality of fasteners extending through the roof marker lamp. The fastener assembly also includes a plurality of retainers disposed adjacent the roof marker lamp to receive the fasteners for preventing the fasteners from exiting the roof marker lamp and adapted to be snapped into apertures in the roof to secure the roof marker lamp to the roof. The fastener assembly further includes a plurality of slides cooperating with the fasteners and the retainers to pre-assemble the fasteners and the retainers to the roof marker lamp prior to securing the roof marker lamp to the roof.
One advantage of the present invention is that a new fastener assembly is provided for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly links together a fastener and retainer and is pre-assembled to a roof marker lamp to a vehicle. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly reduces the number of loose pieces in a vehicle assembly plant. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly has an integrated extension to allow alignment of the fastener to the retainer before conducting a torquing procedure so clearance holed for fasteners can be reduced in diameter to prevent leakage. A further advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly reduces installation time and improves quality due to adequate sealing.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.